US secretary of state Antony Blinken has arrived in china to address the rift that has been threatening their relations.
On his three-day visit, Blinken will first stop in Shanghai on his way to Beijing, to speak to students and attend a basketball game. It’s in Beijing that he will engage in a meeting with his counterpart Wang Yi on Friday to discuss about Chinas sale of dual-use products to Russia.
According to reports by a state official the US and its European allies do not acknowledge China’s sale of weapon components and dual-use products to Russia, which are helping Vladimir Putin rebuild and modernize his arms factories, enabling him to intensify his onslaught on Ukraine.
“We’re committed to taking the steps necessary to defend our national interests, firms that are taking steps in contravention to our interests and in ways that severely undermine security in both Ukraine and Europe. This will be a key issue of discussion while we’re in Beijing,” the state official said
The United States officials trust that their joined pressure with the European allies will convince Beijing to back down from their plan to supply arms directly to Russia.
However the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson had earlier on clarified that it was their lawful right to conduct normal trade and economic exchanges with any country without being disrupted.
US secretary of state arrives in China to address rift threatening bilateral relations